Thursday, December 31, 2009

Ahhh, dessert. The sweet ending to a good meal. The sweet ending to my Best of 2009 "miniseries." I'm ending 2009 on a sweet note. (Forgive me for that. I have a cold this week and I'm feeling...well, frankly I'm feeling a little loopy.) This was probably the hardest category to narrow down to just 10 items, because I made so many delicious desserts this year. In the end, though, I narrowed it down to the ones I would make (and have made!) again, over and over again. My mouth is watering just taking another look at all of these decadent treats!Red velvet cheesecake: This was probably my very favorite dessert of the year. I made it for Valentine's Day and sprinkled it with cocoa powder, and I made it for Christmas and decorated it with green sprinkles in the shape of a Christmas tree. But garnish or no garnish, this is one decadent, sinful treat. It's a cheesecake with cream cheese frosting, after all, and what is there not to love about that? The answer is NOTHING. Add an Oreo cookie crust to the mix, and it's pretty much dessert heaven.Sour cream-orange coffee cake with pecan streusel: This coffee cake was the surprise of the year for me. I thought it would be pretty tasty, but I was unprepared for how delicious it actually was. The texture is great, and the orange flavor is perfectly balanced with all of the other ingredients. This is one of those desserts in which you can taste everything individually -- the sour cream, the orange, the pecans, the brown sugar -- and they all work together in perfect harmony.Carrot cake: This is The Pioneer Woman's carrot cake recipe, and what I love about it is that it's so straight-up and simple. There's no pineapple in it, no raisins -- none of that fancy stuff. Just carrots and cinnamon and a decadent, pecan-laced cream cheese frosting. This cake proves that, sometimes, simple really is best.Chocolate-peanut butter cake with cream cheese and Butterfinger frosting: I made this cake pretty early on in my pregnancy, when I wanted to eat every single thing I saw, right now, please and thank you. Its title alone made me start salivating. It was a bit time-consuming to prepare and assemble, but if I remember correctly (and oh, I believe I do), it was so, so worth it. Rich, decadent, and sinfully delicious, this is one cake you simply must make in 2010.Frozen banana bites: Couldn't be simpler or more delicious. The frozen bananas take on the texture of ice cream, which (to state the obvious) is a wonderful thing. Dip the sliced bananas in chocolate and roll them in any toppings you want: chocolate chips, peanuts, hazelnuts, crushed vanilla wafers or pretzels, miniature M&Ms. This is a wonderful little summer dessert that I'll be turning to a lot as my boys get older; it's super easy, sort of healthy, and extremely kid-friendly.Cookies and cream cheesecake cupcakes: This is one of those desserts that immediately made me think, "D'oh! Why didn't I think of that?!" Using a whole Oreo cookie as the "crust" for these miniature cheesecakes is a brilliant idea, and the results are just as delicious as you'd imagine them to be. Try using the Christmas Oreos with red filling for a quick and festive holiday dessert, or the ones with green filling for a sweet Easter treat, or the orange-filled ones for Halloween. Or try all three. These are definitely good enough to eat every single holiday -- or day, really -- throughout the year.Coconut chocolate pecan pie: I made this pie twice in the span of two weeks, and would probably make it again at least once a month if my husband wasn't a coconut-hater who refuses to help me eat it. One of the times I made it was for Thanksgiving, and everyone who tried it raved about it. Believe me, this rich, gooey pie deserves every bit of the praise. It's so good that it may become a Thanksgiving tradition in our family.The best pumpkin bars ever: It seems like I'm always on the search for the "ultimate" of some food. The ultimate chocolate cake, the ultimate fried chicken, etc. etc. If only I would have capitalized on this tendency before Tyler Florence did, I'd be a rich woman. Anyway, these pumpkin bars are the ultimate pumpkin bar. They have a light, fluffy texture that still somehow manages to be moist, and the perfect amount of spice. They are, in a word, perfect, and they'll be my go-to pumpkin bar from now on.Snickers pie: This pie is composed of a cinnamon-spiced peanut crust, a layer of chocolate fudge, a layer of Snickers bars, a layer of sweetened cream cheese, and a layer of chocolate ganache. I'll pause for a moment to let that sink in. Actually...Do I really need to even say anything else?Sticks and stones candy clusters: They may not look like much, but these inconspicuous little clusters are packed full of delicious things: namely, chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, peanuts and pretzels. They're dangerous to have in the house because they're incredibly addictive, so I'd recommend sharing some or giving them as gifts. They'll be on my cookie trays every single Christmas -- and you can bet I'll be indulging in them quite a few other times throughout the year.Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you for visiting my humble little corner of the internet this year. I've loved sharing with you, connecting with you, and eating with you. May all of you be blessed as we begin this new decade. I have a feeling 2010's going to be a great year for us all!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

I have ten more of my 2009 favorites to share today, this time main dishes and pasta dishes (my favorite category of all).

PastaPasta with creamy spinach and parmesan cheese: This pasta is, hands-down, one of Joe's favorite meals to eat. And that greatly pleases me, since it's vegetarian and I'm always trying to get him to eat more vegetarian meals. Looking at the list of ingredients, it's hard to pick out what it is exactly that makes this so delicious, but I think its yumminess lies in its simplicity.Creamy artichoke alfredo: Also known as, "quite possibly the most decadent pasta you will ever eat." Made with heavy cream and sour cream, the sauce is incredibly rich and undeniably irresistible. The artichokes and lemon add wonderful flavor and texture to the dish.Baked ziti: This is one of those dishes that I just threw together with what I had on hand, and much to my surprise, it instantly became a family favorite. I make this frequently, and it's so good that I would even make it for a family with a new baby or a sick neighbor. Creamy, cheesy, flavorful, and slightly spicy, this baked ziti is one of those dishes that just never goes out of style.Mock risotto with shrimp and roasted asparagus: This just may be my favorite dish of the year. I love the creaminess of the orzo and the flavors of the roasted asparagus and shrimp together. It's a little fancy but incredibly easy to make, and it tastes absolutely amazing.Spinach artichoke lasagna: I've said it before: This lasagna tastes exactly like spinach-artichoke dip, only with pasta thrown in as an added bonus. It's a hearty vegetarian dish with lots of flavor. It is, in a word, delicious, and you all must make trying this one of your New Year's resolutions.

Main Dishes

Baked chicken meatballs with peperonata: This was my first time making chicken meatballs, and the results were out-of-this-world good. You get a little bit of salt from the pancetta, a little bit of sweet from the bell peppers, and a little bit of bite from the capers; it's the perfect balance of flavors. The meatballs are incredibly moist and as an added bonus, the leftovers (if there are any!) make for an absolutely delicious sandwich.New Orleans-style shrimp: These little babies are cooked in a foil packet -- either in the oven or on the grill -- and the cooking method results in shrimp that is incredibly sweet and juicy, nestled in a spicy, succulent broth. Serve this over boxed New Orleans-style rice, and I promise you will want seconds. And thirds. And then you'll cry because there are no fourths.Cream cheese- and pesto-stuffed chicken: Stuffing chicken breasts is one of my favorite ways to add flavor to a meat that can sometimes be boring and bland. I've tried lots of different stuffed chicken recipes, and this one is definitely my favorite so far. The creamy filling is so flavorful and delicious. This chicken tastes so good that you'd think it takes a long time to prepare, but actually, it's incredibly quick and easy. Sometimes it's hard to find a chicken recipe that's worthy of company, but look no further: I'd definitely entertain with this.Pioneer Woman's BBQ meatballs: I couldn't do a "best of" post without one recipe from The Pioneer Woman, right? All the recipes I've tried of hers have been delicious, but these meatballs are my absolute favorite. They're a little bit time-consuming, but the results are definitely worth it. They taste like home. Serve them on top of a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes or egg noodles, and they're like little balls of meaty heaven.Jalapeno popper stuffed chicken: Another stuffed chicken recipe. I still think this is just such an ingenious idea: all the flavors of jalapeno poppers -- jalapenos, bacon, cream cheese, cheddar -- stuffed inside a breaded chicken breast that's pan-fried until it's crispy. It's just as delicious as it sounds -- and pretty easy, too.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Over the next few days, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorite recipes that I've shared on the blog this year. I thought choosing which recipes to highlight would be a difficult task, but it turns out I was wrong; my favorites stood out distinctly as things that I've made again and again and just can't seem to get enough of. I'm starting today with my favorite soups, sandwiches and sides of the year.

SoupsLasagna soup: This soup tastes exactly like lasagna, but it's so much easier and so much less time-consuming to prepare. What really takes it over the top is the creamy surprise waiting at the bottom of each bowl: a dollop of ricotta and ooey, gooey, melty mozzarella cheese.Chicken tortilla soup: I'm just going to put this out there: This is the best chicken tortilla soup ever. I certainly haven't found a recipe better than this one. It's just spicy enough without burning your mouth, and it's packed with flavor. I have to admit that my favorite part of eating this soup, though, is digging into the crispy tortilla strips on top of it.Cream cheese potato soup: I love potato soup -- always have, always will. My grandma's is amazing, and it was always my favorite -- until I discovered this recipe. The cream cheese gives this soup a nice tang, and the smashed potatoes add great texture. It's easily adapted into loaded baked potato soup, too -- just add some broccoli to it, and top each bowl with bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions. Yum!

SandwichesTaco joes: There's nothing fancy about this version of sloppy joes. I still can't quite put my finger on what it is that makes them so delicious, but they definitely are. We always top ours with Monterey jack or pepper-jack cheese, avocado, and a spread made with lime juice, sour cream, and cilantro. Every time we have them, I'm shocked all over again by how good they actually are.Cuban-style burgers: Remember when I did Burgers and Fries Friday earlier this year? Well, this burger was the best one I made. The Swiss cheese, the honey mustard, the garlic mayo, the pickle...All the flavors worked perfectly together to make one pretty darn amazing burger.Tuscan-style grilled chicken sandwiches: You've already heard me rave about these sandwiches more than once, but I promise, they deserve every ounce of praise I give them. The pesto mayonnaise, artichokes and fresh mozzarella cheese make them just a little bit more special than your average chicken sandwich, but they're so easy to prepare that they're perfect for a quick dinner any night of the week.

Side DishesMexican sour cream rice: I couldn't talk about the food I made in 2009 without talking about this rice. I make it a lot; it's my go-to side dish for anything remotely Mexican. It's delicious all on its own, but it also makes a great taco filling, which is probably our favorite way to use it.Buttery cheesy garlic bread: It may seem silly to include something as simple as garlic bread on a "best of" list, but I just couldn't resist. This garlic bread is the best homemade version I've ever had, and it's just as easy as opening a box of the frozen kind. It tastes much better, too.Oven rings: These are the best onion rings I've ever made, and the best thing about them is that they're baked. Forget the big vat of frying oil; only a couple tablespoons of oil are needed to make these nice and crispy. The only bad thing about them is that they're incredibly addictive, and I always have to double the recipe so Joe can have some too.Artichoke bread: This cheesy, flavorful bread is a perfect accompaniment to soup, but if you serve it with some herbed, buttered noodles it also makes for a simple and delicious vegetarian dinner. We've had it both ways, numerous times, and it's always delicious, no matter what I serve it with.

Check back tomorrow for my favorite pastas and main dishes of the year!

Monday, December 28, 2009

I wanted to post the recipe for our traditional Christmas breakfast casserole last year, but I forgot to take a picture of it, so I vowed to post it this year. But what do you know, I forgot to take a picture of it AGAIN, so the only photo you get is one of my son eating it:It was the first year he was able to enjoy this breakfast with us (last year he was only 7 months old), and I'm pleased to report that he absolutely loved it!

I think every family has their own traditional Christmas breakfast. Growing up we always just had eggs, toast, and bacon or sausage on Christmas morning, but once I moved in with Joe I started making this casserole. I've adapted the original recipe quite extensively over the years, and Joe starts looking forward to eating this at the beginning of December. I only make it once a year -- it just wouldn't be as special for us if I made it more often -- but it would make for a delicious, hearty dinner any night of the year. It can easily be prepped and stored in the refrigerator a day or two ahead, which makes it perfect for holiday or weeknight cooking.

3. Add mixture to a Crock pot sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook on low heat 6 hours, or until hot and bubbly (I always turn it on before we go to bed on Christmas Eve, and by the time we wake up it's perfect.). Top with eggs, if desired.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

First of all, I hope all of you had very happy holidays with your loved ones. We certainly did!

I know I said I wasn't going to plan any meals for the immediate future, but I haven't cooked anything of substance for the past three weeks or so, and the truth is that I miss being in the kitchen. Don't get your expectations too high, though -- the meals I am planning to make this week are quick and low-maintenance, but they are all new. I've seen so many good recipes lately in cookbooks and online that I just had to get some of these in before the new baby comes! (No baking this week, though, because I can't even believe I'm saying this, but I have eaten so many sweets over the past few days that I am just DONE with sweet stuff for the time being. Mark this day in the record books, because you will probably never hear me say that again.)

Thursday, December 24, 2009

I know, I know, these cookies really don't look like much, do they? Let me assure you that their appearance is very deceiving, as these are truly some delicious little treats!

It's very rare that I see a recipe and know that I have to make it immediately, right now, yesterday. Last weekend the new edition of Betty Crocker's Annual Recipes arrived in the mail, and when I saw these cookies it was like they were speaking to me from the page, just begging me to make them and then eat six of them while they were still piping hot and fresh from the oven. I couldn't say no. When cookies speak to you, you listen.

I didn't have any instant coffee in the house, so I used a few tablespoons of the pot we'd brewed that morning, which worked out just fine. The cookies had a nice coffee flavor that balanced perfectly with the chocolate and the toffee. These cookies will be making a yearly appearance in our kitchen, and on my annual Christmas cookie trays.

I hope all of you have a blessed holiday with your families. It's been a pleasure sharing my cooking adventures with you this year, and I can't wait to see what 2010 brings for all of us!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

These little clusters contain pretty much everything that I require for my perfect dessert: chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, peanuts, and pretzels. In other words, they are like LITTLE BITES OF HEAVEN.

And best of all? They literally took about 5 minutes to make. They were so, so easy -- no baking required, just cooling time. I could barely wait for them to cool long enough before I dug in. Joe and I (and Andrew, but to a much lesser extent) ate the whole batch in 3 days. I omitted the chocolate-covered raisins called for in the original recipe and added an extra cup of peanuts, and we just loved these treats. They would be a wonderful last-minute addition to your treat trays!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

These cheesecake bars were on my list of things to bake for Christmas last year, but I never got around to it, so I moved them to the top of my list this year. Joe and I both really liked these. They had a nice balance of chocolate and coffee flavor, and were only slightly sweet. They were, however, incredibly rich, so it's a good thing I gave most of them away; we never could have eaten them all on our own, no matter how delicious they were!

My only complaint about these was that the sugar cookie base was way too thick, so next time I make them I'll halve it. Otherwise, though, these are a wonderful treat for the holiday season -- or, really, any time of year.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be sharing the three baked goods I actually managed to make this year for Christmas, but the recipe I'm posting today would be perfect for a quick and easy dinner one night this week while you're making your last-minute Christmas preparations.

How many of you actually bother making dinner the week of Christmas anyway? I usually don't. If I make anything at all, it's something easy like sloppy joes or chicken tenders and fries. It's much more likely that I'll be relying on frozen meals and take-out this week leading up to Christmas. But I'm sure there are those of you out there more motivated than I am -- in which case, this casserole would be perfect for you. It's one of those throw-it-all-together-and-bake-it meals. If you rely on store-bought rotisserie chicken, steam-in-a-bag broccoli, and minute rice, it takes absolutely no time at all to prepare. And the best part is, it's absolutely delicious -- creamy and comforting, exactly the kind of thing you want to eat in the winter months when the snow is falling outside. Definitely give this casserole a try this winter!

Friday, December 18, 2009

So, yeah. I'm writing about meatloaf. Just basic, old-fashioned meatloaf, just like the one your mama made. I'm posting this recipe because even though I've only made it once, I already know that it's going directly into our regular dinner rotation. I think everyone needs a "basic" meatloaf recipe. My mom's cajun version is my absolute favorite meatloaf, but every once in a while I just crave that sweet, ketchupy topping. And this meatloaf fulfills that craving perfectly.

This is a Paula Deen recipe that I discovered through Jessie. This meatloaf reminds me a little bit of my mom's standard version, but she used celery and breadcrumbs instead of green peppers and oats, and she didn't use tomatoes. I love the addition of tomatoes and think they really add a lot to this recipe. I like the use of the oats, too, because I think they make the meatloaf less dense than breadcrumbs would. The best thing about meatloaf is that it's so adaptable -- you can throw in whatever you have on hand and even make mini loaves out of it, and it's easily doubled for freezing. This is my new go-to "basic" meatloaf recipe!

(By the way, some Christmas-related recipes are coming up next week -- promise!)

Thursday, December 17, 2009

This is another one of those meals that can be filed in the "tastes much better than it looks" category. I'd been eyeing this casserole for months and finally got around to making it one night a couple of weeks ago. I was planning to freeze half, but after I got it assembled it looked so delicious that I just baked the whole thing. And I'm glad I did -- this worked great as leftovers, and we got two more meals out of it. Next time I may add some green chilies and onion to the beef mixture and some fresh cilantro to the pasta layer to add a little more flavor, but other than that I wouldn't change a thing. This was a delicious, comforting meal, plain and simple.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Having had one child already, I know exactly what those first few weeks post-partum are going to be like, and folks -- they ain't gonna be pretty. And if I get the chance to eat anything at all, I know I'm not going to want to eat things that are healthy. I'm going to want things that are comforting, things that make me forget how exhausted and sore and overwhelmed I am. That's why most of the meals I've frozen for us to eat during that time contain pasta and/or lots of cheese.

That's also why I made these muffins. I'm hoping they froze well, because I'm really looking forward to having these for breakfast the first week we're home from the hospital. They'll taste awesome with the gallons of coffee I'll be consuming.

A couple of the muffins didn't make it all the way to the freezer -- I had to taste test, of course! These muffins are absolutely delicious. I realized I'd run out of vanilla extract right before I started making them, but rather than giving up, I used an inch of vanilla bean instead, and that worked perfectly. Cream cheese and chocolate chips -- what's not to love?

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I made this bread a few weekends ago with the intention of freezing it to go with the soups I've prepared for when the baby comes. But then I smelled it baking in the oven, and it smelled heavenly, and before the timer even dinged I'd already decided that I only really needed to freeze half a loaf. And once I sliced the loaf in half and I saw all the cheesy oniony bacon goodness inside, I knew I had to have a piece right then.

And after I tasted it, I decided there was no way I could freeze it. Joe, Andrew and I ate almost the entire loaf with our dinner that night. It was that good.

I think I've mentioned here before that I have a Great and Terrible Fear of yeast breads. One of these days I'll suck it up and give yeast a shot, but for the time being, I'm relegated to the world of quick breads. I've found many delicious recipes, but they're all sweet, so it was nice to come across a savory one. I'll be making this bread a lot in the future. It is absolutely delicious.Cheesy Onion and Bacon Breadsource: adapted from Allrecipes

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and loaf is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

First of all, it was so sweet of you guys to be concerned when I didn't post for a while last week. I wish I could tell you that the baby was here, but he's not. Early Tuesday morning I was felled by kidney stones, and I spent a couple of days in the hospital recovering. Nearly a week later, I'm still feeling pretty tender, and I'm spending every chance I get in the recliner. If you've ever had a kidney stone, you know how much they hurt; now add being pregnant to the equation, and just imagine the amount of pain. It was terrible.

Needless to say, I didn't make a single thing on my meal plan last week. Joe has been in charge of meals all week, which means we've had the following: frozen pizza, McDonald's, frozen taquitos, pizza rolls, and sandwiches. Tonight I believe delivery pizza is on the menu.

As you can probably guess, I'm ready for some home-cooked, non-processed food, so I'm carrying over last week's meal plan to this week. This will probably be the last meal planning I do for a while, though, since next week is Christmas, then the following week is New Year's, and the week after that we'll have a new baby. We're going to be so busy that I'm pretty sure cooking is going to be the last thing on my mind.

I'd planned a full day of Christmas baking today, but then this morning I sprained my ankle coming down the stairs (I'm really having a banner week!), so that's off. I had a lot of delicious things planned to share with you, but I don't think I'll realistically be able to get to all of them now. I guess I'll just have to make next December an entire month of Christmas here on the blog to make up for this year's lack of holiday cheer.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Would you believe that I'd never heard of cream cheese chicken until I happened to stumble upon the recipe on A Year of SlowCooking? Yes, it's true. I, the chicken and cream cheese lover, had never heard of this bit of deliciousness. It sounded like the perfect winter comfort food meal, so I knew I had to try it soon.

I made this the old-fashioned way: with cream of mushroom soup and Italian dressing mix. Next time I make this, I'll still use the cream of mushroom soup, but I may try using Stephanie's suggested seasoning blend in place of the Italian dressing mix (check out the link below for her version), just to cut back on some sodium.

This was quite tasty. I stirred in about half a pound of cooked rigatoni at the very end, and we had enough leftovers for a couple of days. This meal was a big hit particularly with Andrew, who seems to share his mama's love of all things containing cream cheese and/or pasta. He's a good boy.

1. Add all ingredients except for cream cheese to Crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and begins to shred.

2. Shred the chicken with two large forks and mix in the block of cream cheese. Switch the Crock pot to high and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted. Serve with pasta.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

This week I was tempted to just list some kind of delicious baked good for dinner every night, because all I want to do now that Christmas is inching ever closer is bake, bake, bake. I have a list of a dozen or so treats I want to make this year and I'm hoping to get my Christmas cookie packages distributed next week, so I'm going to be a very busy girl over the next week or so. I can't wait to share all of the recipes with you!

Anyway, on to the meal plan, because I may be 8 months pregnant, but I still just can't justifiy having sweets for dinner every night.

Friday, December 4, 2009

If you asked my son Andrew what his very favorite food in the world is, I know exactly what he'd tell you: mandarin oranges. Well, okay, he'd probably say "na nas" because that's what he calls them, but you know what I mean. He loves mandarin oranges, which really comes as no surprise to me since I loved them as a kid too. I remember being a little girl, sitting at the kitchen table and eating them with my fingers right out of the can. And then slurping all of the delicious syrup off of my fingers. It's so fun to watch my little boy do exactly the same thing (except we are more civilized than my parents were, apparently, and put his oranges in a bowl first).

When I happened across this recipe, I knew I had to make these for Andrew. Unsurprisingly, these muffins were a huge hit with him. I really liked them, too, especially the combination of cinnamon and citrus. When I make these again (and oh, I will; Andrew insists) I'll use less almond extract, because I thought the almond was just a little bit too overpowering. These muffins were incredibly moist and not too sweet, and they were absolutely delicious with a bit of butter spread across the top. Definitely Andrew -- and Mama! -- approved.

1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk and extract. Stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Fold in oranges.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I make a lot of lasagna. See? We love the stuff in our house. But the recipe I'm sharing with you today is our absolute favorite, even more so than my traditional version, which Joe loves. It's chicken fajita lasagna, and it. is. delicious.

Years ago (literally years -- I think it was in 2004), I saw Emeril Lagasse make enchilada suiza lasagna on his show, and that's where the inspiration for this lasagna came from. Emeril's looked so good that I knew I had to make my own version of it. But I was at the very beginning of my cooking life, and thus I had to simplify it a little bit...or a lot. I didn't even know what a poblano pepper was, let alone have access to queso anejo cheese! I doubt I even knew how to pronounce the name of that cheese then.

Needless to say, I've come a long way, baby. Over the years, my adaptation of the recipe has become known as "chicken fajita lasagna" in our house, and it's a family favorite. Joe would be happy if I made this every single week. Sometimes I use a combination of red and green bell peppers, sometimes I use poblanos; sometimes I top it with freshly chopped tomatoes, sometimes I leave them off. Sometimes I use a shredded Mexican blend cheese, and sometimes I use Monterey jack. But one thing remains constant: This lasagna is always delicious. It makes enough to feed an army, but trust me: You'll be glad you have leftovers of this. It is amazing.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, little by little, until thoroughly combined. Add the chicken stock and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened and flavorful, about 10 minutes. Add the pepper jack and stir until melted. Season with the salt and remove from the heat. Set aside, covered, while you assemble the remaining ingredients.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add vegetable oil, peppers and onions to skillet. Give the vegetables a minute to cook without stirring them -- you want them to sear a little bit, like in a fajita. When vegetables are crisp-tender, add garlic; cook and stir one minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and reduce heat to low. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Remove from heat and keep warm.

4. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with 2 of the tortillas, or as many as needed to form a complete layer. Top with half of the chicken and pepper mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the sauce, and 1/3 of the shredded Monterey jack. Make another layer in exactly the same way: tortillas, the remaining chicken and peppers, 1 1/2 cups of the sauce, and 1/3 of the shredded Monterey jack. Top with the remaining tortillas, remaining sauce, remaining Monterey jack, and tomatoes and/or cilantro if desired.

5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for about 15 minutes longer, or until the lasagna is bubbly and light golden brown on top.

6. Serve immediately, garnished with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and a spoonful of salsa or pico de gallo, if desired.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Thanks to all of you who commented in my very first give-away. I had a lot of fun hosting it, and hopefully I'll be able to do more in the future. I loved hearing about all of your favorite Christmas cookies, and you gave me lots of ideas for my holiday baking this year. Now, without further ado, here's the winner:

...Okay, well for some reason the website won't let me import the little box thingy, so I'm copying and pasting and you just have to trust me:

Are you aware that you are the cutest blogger ever? A giveaway! A lovely idea and I am really hoping 8 is my lucky number! Ha haMy favorite Christmas cookie is a tie between cranberry pistachio cookies and goodold sugar cookies in Christmas shapes with icing. If you like cranberry &pistachio, I bet you'd like these cookies.

Congratulations, Anth -- it looks like 8 was your lucky number after all! I will definitely be trying those pistachio cranberry cookies very soon -- they sound delicious! E-mail me your info at cassiecraves [at] yahoo [dot] com so I can get your prize mailed out to you! Thanks again to all of you who played along!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

I never really ate chicken noodle soup a whole lot when I was growing up -- except for when I was sick, of course. On those occasions, my mom would pop open a can of the high-sodium Campbell's stuff and heat it up for me. It always did the trick, but it definitely wasn't what I'd call healthy. For all the cooking she did when I was younger, chicken noodle soup was something my mom never made from scratch.

A few years ago, my best friend came down with a horrible cold, and I decided I'd try my hand at making some homemade chicken noodle soup for her. We lived in the same apartment complex at the time, so it was easy for me to whip up a batch and take some over to her. I kept some for our dinner, too, and when Joe tried it, he was really impressed. My friend was, too. Since then, I've tweaked and added to the recipe, and it's become a winter family favorite. My secret ingredients are lemon pepper, white wine, and a touch of cream stirred in at the very end. The lemon pepper adds a wonderfully fresh element to the soup, and to bump up the lemon flavor even more, I've even sprinkled a quick gremolata of parsley and lemon zest on the top. We like our soup pretty thick, so the leftovers are more like chicken and noodles than they are like soup. This was Andrew's first year trying it, and he absolutely loved it too.

This chicken noodle soup is sure to cure your cold, or just comfort you and warm you up on a cold winter day. Serve it with salad and crusty bread for dipping. I think you'll really like it!And this is your last reminder about the Christmas from the Heart give-away! Be sure to comment on that post before tomorrow at 12:00 PM Eastern time for a chance to win!

1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs (no need to remove the thyme from its stems; it'll come off on its own during cooking). Season with salt and lemon pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir one minute.

2. Add white wine; cook until alcohol is cooked out, stirring constantly to release any bits of vegetables from the bottom. Add the chicken, peas and chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Well, I did it. I posted every single day for an entire month, and I'm pretty proud of myself for it. I can't think of a better way to end the month -- or to end dinner every single night of the week -- than with this Snickers pie.

This is one of those recipes that I knew I had to make immediately the moment it popped up in my reader. Let me paint a picture for you: This pie is composed of a cinnamon-spiced peanut crust, a layer of fudge, a layer of chopped Snickers bars, and a layer of sweetened cream cheese -- and then the whole thing is topped with decadent chocolate ganache. What is there not to love?

This pie was every bit as good as I thought it was going to be. Next time I'll be sure to chop the Snickers bars more finely; I sliced them and layered them that way, and they firmed up again when the pie was refrigerated, which made them a little difficult to bite into. This pie is the perfect balance of nutty, rich, creamy and smooth. It was a huge hit with everyone who tried it, and I'll definitely be making it again.

Once again, don't forget about the give-away! The contest ends Wednesday at noon, so be sure to add your comment to that post before then.

Pulse peanuts, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small food processor until it is the texture of coarse sand. Pulse in the melted butter. Press nut mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool while making the filling.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together sugar, egg and egg yolk in a large bowl for 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into crust.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist batter still attached.

5. Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Evenly arrange chopped Snickers bars over the top.

6. For the cream cheese layer, beat together cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add egg, egg white and vanilla and beat until smooth. Carefully spread mixture over the Snickers bars. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cream cheese is set. Transfer to a rack to cool.

2. Bring the cream to a boil, then pour half the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds. Working with a whisk or rubber spatula, gently stir the chocolate and cream together in small circles, starting at the center of the bowl and working your way out in increasingly larger concentric circles.

3. Pour in the remainder of the cream and blend it into the chocolate, using the same circular motions. When the ganache is smooth and shiny, stir in the butter piece by piece.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

For the past month and a half I have been very busy in the kitchen, cooking extra most nights and freezing meals for when the little one makes his arrival in a little over a month (!!). I've done an awesome job and have quite a few things frozen, but this week's menu is all about finishing my stockpile. Every meal I'm making this week is being doubled to freeze for later. Although it's been sort of exhausting getting all of this done, I know I'll be glad I did it when I'm adjusting to life with a toddler and a newborn. (I'm already glad I didn't save this task for closer to Christmas. It'll be hectic enough as it is.) As you can see, there is lots of pasta happening this week; it freezes so well it's hard to resist, although it's certainly not going to help me lose the baby weight.

I'm a Midwestern wife and mom who loves to cook and bake. I learned to cook by watching the Food Network, hovering over the women in my family, and reading an ever-expanding collection of cookbooks. For me, cooking is a form of therapy, a way to reflect on my memories and to make new ones. I'm drawn to quick, easy, and balanced meals that my entire growing family will enjoy. If you have questions or comments or just want to chat, you can e-mail me at cassiecraves[at]yahoo[dot]com.